Greek Mythology: Legends Come Alive Poem by Paula Glynn

Ancient Greece a north eastern Mediterranean civilization
A society known as the Greek dark ages
Time going in historical stages
Starting from 12th to 9th centuries BC
Moving forward to classical antiquity (c. 600 AD)
A rich civilization all its people at its heart could see

Loose collection of culturally and linguistically related city-states
Important to the Greek people in that and other territories
Civilians working hard to put food on plates
Knowing Greek mythology with Gods to which they could relate
With the legendary Alexander the Great
A leader that did determine the Greek people's fate

Western Mediterranean, around the Black Sea, Cyprus, and Cyrenaica
Not officially unified like most regions,13 years going past
The years of 336 to 323 BC to in memories last
Alexander The Great to rule Greece and have a blast
Classical antiquity followed by the Early Middle Ages
And the Byzantine period, time leaving a legacy


The late Bronze Age collapse of Mycenaean Greece
Turning into the legendary Archaic period
To follow the colonization of the Mediterranean Basin
The age of classical Greece to come about
Greece mythology to have Gods strike thunderbolts
Their weather sending people a clear message:

Follow the Greek God's rules rather than scream and shout
The ancient Greek's knowing the Gods all powerful
Knowing their sins and crimes punished
Worshipping at many Gods and goddesses alters
Praying for good harvests and bountiful crops
The ancient Greek's working hard non-stop

And Greek mythology used to explain the world:
Why the wild weather and why the scientific rules
Greek Gods taught at children's schools
Ancient Greek folklore believed to be true
Deities, heroes, and mythological creatures
With their frightening yet heroic features

Starting in 18th century BC
Most likely by Minoan and Mycenaean singers
New Greek God story bringers
Their stories - their songs - incredibly popular
Spreading fast across Greece
A new legendary culture to be conceived

The genesis of the world, the succession of divine rulers
The succession of human ages, the origin of human woes
And the origin of sacrificial practices
Ancient Greek Gods switching from friend to foe
Their punishment on the people of Greece to teach
But also to guide on long journeys, essential places to reach

Ancient Gods and goddesses never forgotten
Greek mythology written about
In many poems and books, such as Homer's epic poems
For their stories are magical, exciting and dramatic
The world of the Greek Gods watching over people
Showing them the way and how it is done.